


A Moment Like This

by killerxcanaries



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Inspired by Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Jealous Max, Karaoke, Surprise Party, based on the 2x03 promo, mentions of zoey x simon, zoey and mo friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28814319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerxcanaries/pseuds/killerxcanaries
Summary: "Are you still having the dreams?""Simon says it's normal-""Simon, huh?"----------Max and Zoey's relationship finally feels like it's going well, when a mention of Zoey's "friend" helping her talk through the nightmares she's been having lately suddenly makes Max jealous. When he walks out of the house on her, Zoey takes matters into her own hands to try to make things right again. (inspired by the 2x03 promo)
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman, Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	A Moment Like This

**Author's Note:**

> when i first started writing this i expected it to turn out a lot differently than it ended up being, but since i thought it was still decent i decided to post it anyway. also, the slight simon hate from max later on in the story is in no way how i feel about simon's character, i just wrote all of that solely for the purpose of the fic !!

_"Are you still having the dreams?"_

_"Simon says it's normal-"_

_"Simon, huh?"_

\-----------

Zoey's eyes went slightly wider in surprise and confusion.

"Why'd you just say his name like that?" Zoey asked accusingly.

Max scoffed in disbelief, shaking his head.

"You're kidding me, right? Zo, why can't we go a full day without you mentioning his name?"

Zoey crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"Simon is my _friend_ , Max. He lost his dad too, so he knows what that exact grief process is like, and ever since I lost my dad, you two have been close as well. Am I seriously not allowed to talk to him?"

"You know that's not what I'm saying, Zoey," Max said quietly as he continued cooking.

"Then what exactly _are_ you saying? Because it seems an awful lot like you just don't like Simon now for no apparent reason, and that you suddenly don't want me to talk to him."

"Zoey, there are many reasons why I wouldn't be the most comfortable with you being alone with Simon, okay? It wouldn't be for 'no apparent reason', but that's not even what I was talking about. I'm glad that you have someone to talk to that knows what the process is like, alright?"

Max turned his back to the ginger as he grabbed some seasonings from the cabinet to his right.

"Then what's wrong, Max?" Zoey exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "I thought we were being open and honest with one another, and now you're just saying you're upset without actually telling me why!"

"Why don't you tap into those musical powers of yours and find out yourself?" Max snapped, making Zoey freeze in place.

"Max, I can't just _decide_ when my powers start working, and I would rather talk to you face-to-face right now than through our thoughts," Zoey said quietly.

Max let out a sigh before turning around, shrugging his shoulders.

"I thought we really had something here between us," he said brokenly, and all of the markers in Zoey's brain started flashing red like crazy.

"Max, what are you talking about? We _do_ have something here between us. I really, really like you, and I thought that was even more clear when we slept together? What-"

"Every time I'm happy, Zoey, he just has to come along and insert himself into the middle of the two of us," Max muttered, making Zoey's eyebrows scrunch together.

"Wait, Max...are you _jealous_?" Zoey asked quietly, and Max sighed.

"No, Zoey, I'm not jealous of him. I just...I wish that we were closer and that there wasn't enough space between us for him to wiggle himself into. Every time we're happy together, or I think I might actually have a chance, or I finally let myself open up to you and let my raw emotions pour out of my mouth, Simon's always swooping in to pick up whatever pieces are there and comfort you. I'm...Zoey, I really like you too, and I want to be there for you. I want to be the person you come to if you have a question or need someone to talk to or, frankly, anything at all. But there's one guy who you're showing your feelings to, and there's another guy who you're talking about your feelings with. And I wish I was able to be both of those guys for you."

Zoey frowned, not knowing what to say. She knew that there was nothing more going on between herself and Simon, but Max wasn't really the firmest believer in that fact.

"I'm uh...the food's done, actually, so you can just put yours on a plate and keep the rest for leftovers...or something? Um...I'll see you around, Zo."

Zoey watched as Max retreated from the kitchen and headed towards the front door, shaking her head before going after him.

"Max," she called as his hand encircled the doorknob, and she watched as his body visibly deflated.

"I just need some time, Zoey, and it seems like you do too. If I'm really the guy that you want, then I'll be there for you no matter what, but if I'm not then I'm not. I just think that we should take a step back for you to figure that out first," he said, and before Zoey could get another word in, the door was shut behind him.

Zoey leaned back and braced herself against the kitchen island, letting out a soft sigh as tears filled her eyes. There was nothing going on between her and Simon, and their "relationship", if it could even be considered that, ended before her dad died. It had been months since then, and she had finally allowed herself to be happy with Max, only for that to come to a shattering halt now as well.

She wanted _Max_ , she was sure of it. Sure, she talked to Simon still because they worked together and he was a good friend, but that was all he was.

Zoey wiped away a tear before looking around, being reminded of memory after memory of Max and her at various locations around the house. She couldn't take being there anymore and being reminded of years and years of a friendship possibly being completely gone now, so she grabbed her keys and quickly left the house.

She drove as quickly as she could to reach her apartment building, practically flinging herself out of the car before running up the steps inside the building. She fumbled around with her keys, soft sobs escaping from her mouth as she struggled to jab the key into the keyhole, letting out a frustrated sound at the fact that nothing seemed to be going her way.

"Zo?" she heard a familiar voice call, turning around to see Mo standing in the doorway of his apartment, concern etched across his face.

"M-Mo," Zoey mumbled, quickly swiping at her face to rid it of the tears that still continued to flow down her cheeks.

"Come here, child," he said softly, and Zoey gave up on attempting to seem like she was fine as she forgot about her door and walked closer to her neighbor.

Mo welcomed the crying girl into his apartment with slightly-hesitant-but-still-worried arms, brushing a hand through her red curls as she cried against his chest.

"Zo-lo, what happened?" Mo asked once her cries had calmed down a little, and Zoey pulled back to wipe her face.

"I uh...I think I ruined everything," Zoey mumbled, making Mo raise an eyebrow.

"And what is this in regards to? You're the only person that has the power to read minds in this room right now, I'm afraid."

"Max thinks something's going on between me and Simon, I think? He uh...I said Simon's name and Max got upset and just left."

"Zoey, you know that I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but isn't there? I mean, hasn't this love triangle thing been going on for a while now?"

"I'm Simon's boss, and that's how it's going to stay from now on. Max and I were together, and nothing is happening between Simon and I. Was there something at first? Yeah, sure. But we've talked, and whatever that was is over. Max just..."

"Max what?" Mo asked encouragingly after Zoey trailed off, and she shrugged.

"He said he wasn't jealous and that he didn't want to make me stop talking to Simon, but I think he does."

"Well, Zo, if there's nothing going on then you should tell him that. You said Simon knows nothing's going on between the two of you?"

"Yeah, Mo, he does. And I tried to tell Max, but he just walked out."

Mo got up and started making cups of tea for the two of them, shaking his head.

"What about...a grand gesture, or something? Do something big and make Max realize that you're only into him?"

Zoey looked down at the floor, sniffling. The wheels in her brain started turning, and she wiped away a tear that made its way down her cheek.

"Um...that could work," she said quietly once Mo had come back into the room.

Mo handed the redhead a cup, and she took a sip of it.

"Thanks, Mo," Zoey whispered, and Mo nodded.

"I could help if you'd like."

Zoey looked up at her neighbor, waiting for the punchline and surprised to see that there was none.

"Wait...really?"

Mo scoffed, waving a hand around.

"Yes, Zoey. I'm a sucker for grand gestures, after all, and frankly you could use a little happiness in your life. The way that Max looks at you proves that it's not just one-sided feelings, and if it'll make you happier then yes, I'll provide some assistance."

Zoey smiled softly, wiping her face again.

"Thanks."

"Okay, so. What are we thinking?" Mo asked, clasping his hands together.

"Um...what if...what if I just threw like, some sort of surprise party? He uh...Max said that he likes knowing how I feel and felt vulnerable at the fact that I could hear his thoughts through song but he never knew what I was feeling, so I could sing to him."

"That's...that's actually not a bad idea," Mo said, impressed at the programmer. "What song?"

"Um..." Zoey paused to think, but the only song she could think of was the one that hadn't left her mind in days. "'A Moment Like This'?"

Mo raised an eyebrow, unable to hide the surprise from his face.

"You listen to Kelly Clarkson?"

Zoey shrugged, looking down as a slight blush covered her face.

"Yeah, uh...I don't know, I just like the song and I know Max knows it too."

"Mmm hmm..." Mo mumbled accusingly, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "I feel like there's more to this song that you're not telling me, but for the sake that you were just crying a few minutes ago and I don't want to make you cry again, I'll leave it alone."

A few days later Zoey was at her family's house, pouring pretzels into a bowl. She and Max hadn't talked or seen each other in days, and everyone could tell it was taking a huge toll on Zoey. She hadn't spent a single day without seeing or at least texting Max since they had first met, and it was like a huge piece of her heart was missing. With a huge part already having broken off when her dad died, Zoey was really nervous about the potential of losing Max entirely if that night didn't work out as she had hoped it would.

Maggie walked into the kitchen and frowned as she saw the frown on her daughter's face.

"Zoey, this is going to work, okay? And if it doesn't, you and Max have been friends for so long now that he is eventually going to talk to you again. He's not going to just ignore you forever."

Zoey shrugged, grabbing one of the chips that she had just poured into another bowl.

"Max is his own person and can do whatever he wants to do with his life. I hurt him last year, and it's all coming back for him now. I mean...I wouldn't exactly blame him if he never wanted to speak to me again."

Max wrapped her daughter in a hug, sighing softly.

"Max loves you, Zoey. He knows you're a good person, and isn't going to hold something like this against you for the rest of his life."

She pressed a kiss to the top of Zoey's head before pulling out her phone, smiling gently.

"Everyone's going to start arriving soon, and then I'll text him."

Zoey gave a slight nod before turning back and putting the snacks on the table, hearing a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Maggie said softly.

Upon opening the door Maggie was met with Simon standing there, smiling gently.

"Hi, Simon," she said, and he smiled nervously.

"Hi. Um...thank you for having me," he said, and she nodded.

"Of course. Come on in," she said, stepping aside and letting the man walk inside. "Zoey's in the kitchen, but you can hang out wherever," she said, and he nodded, heading towards the kitchen as Maggie went to walk upstairs.

"Hey," Zoey heard, turning around and seeing the last person she expected to be at her house that day.

Zoey had talked to Simon a few days before and gave him the option of coming, but explained that she wouldn't be upset or mad if the man hadn't shown up. She knew that he was as much involved in this whole thing as she was, but wanted to extend the offer as a way to be nice. She hadn't really expected to see him, though, figuring that he just wouldn't show up.

"Hi," Zoey said quietly, continuing to find things to do to avoid the intense awkwardness that hung in the room.

"Listen, if you don't want me to be here I can go."

Zoey turned, shaking her head.

"You're my friend, and while I was keeping to myself all those months you and Max got closer. It might surprise him at first, but he'll appreciate you being here."

Simon nodded slowly, and Zoey was internally crossing her fingers in hopes that Max wouldn't try to actually murder Simon instead.

The doorbell rang and Maggie came down the stairs to open it, revealing Mo standing there. He joined the two in the kitchen as Maggie went into the living room to set a few things up.

"Okay, Zoey, are you ready for tonight?" Mo asked, and Zoey took a deep breath before letting it out.

"Not really, but I'm going to have to be," she said, and Mo gave her a quick nod.

"Where should I put this?" he asked as he held up a bluetooth wireless microphone, making Zoey smile a little.

"I still can't believe you just had one of these lying around at your place," she said as she took and hid it in the living room, and Mo shrugged.

"I like music. I sing. Cordless microphones just keep you in one place and are much harder to dance around with."

Simon laughed a little, nodding.

"I like your logic," he said, to which Mo smiled in reply.

After everyone had arrived, Maggie came over to Zoey, who was biting a pretzel in the living room.

"How are you doing?" she asked softly, to which Zoey shrugged nervously.

"I guess I'm ready?"

Maggie gave Zoey a quick hug before pulling out her phone and texting Max, saying that she knew that Zoey and Max hadn't been talking lately, but that Zoey needed help and really needed him. Zoey felt bad for lying to Max and for having her Mom in on the lie as well, but Mo had insisted that it was guaranteed to get the brunette to come over even despite not having been over in days.

Not even five minutes later there was a knock on the door, and everyone quickly hid in the kitchen. Maggie opened the door with a faux frown on her face, finding an out-of-breath Max standing on her doorstep.

"Max," she said softly, and he shook his head.

"I-I ran here as...as fast as I could. W-Where is she?"

"She's in the kitchen," Maggie said, and the second Maggie had stepped aside Max had ran into the kitchen.

"Zoey," Max called out, and she looked around at everyone with a nod.

"Surprise!" everyone popped out and called, though there was only a look of nervousness on Zoey's face that contrasted the huge sea of smiles on everyone else's faces.

"Zoey," Max whispered, quickly wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Zoey hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around him just as tightly, shutting her eyes and burying her face against the crook of his neck. Max pulled back, looking at the girl in his arms from head to toe before meeting her eyes again.

"You're...you're not hurt?" he asked, to which Zoey shook her head. "God, Zoey. When I saw your mom's text I thought you were hurt, and I ran here as quickly as I could."

Zoey's heart grew tight in her chest, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Max's immediate instinct was to make sure Zoey was alright, no matter what he had to do to keep her okay. And that thought alone made tears well up in her eyes.

"Zo, what's wrong?" he asked softly as he pulled away and noticed, and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as Max cupped her face. "I-I wanted to do this big thing and surprise you to make you realize how much I love you, but I didn't realize-"

Zoey was cut off as Max pressed his lips to hers, cheers coming from all areas of the room and making them both pull back and press their foreheads to one another.

"I love you too, Zoey. I'm sorry I've been such a jerk these past few days, I just-"

"You don't need to explain yourself, Max. I know why you acted the way I did, and it's not your fault. I just really missed you."

She wrapped her arms back around Max, basking in the feeling of his arms around her as he rubbed her back up and down gently. After the two eventually pulled apart, someone started playing music, making them both smile softly.

"Thank you for doing this," Max said quietly, and she shrugged.

"I couldn't live without you in my life, and I needed to find a way to get you back. These past few days haven't been the same without you."

Max kissed her forehead before the two went around to greet people, Max's right hand slipped into Zoey's left one, running the tip of his middle finger across the ring that sat on hers.

They stopped in place and a frown immediately formed on Max's face as he caught a glimpse of Simon laughing with Mo about something in the corner of the room, and Zoey squeezed his hand a little.

"Before you and I started dating the two of us talked, and nothing's going to happen between us. I figured that since you two had gotten closer while I was shielding myself from the rest of the world, I should invite him," Zoey said quietly, and Max nodded slowly.

"Okay," he said softly, and Zoey looked up at him.

"Okay?"

Max looked down at the girl at his side, nodding.

"Yeah, okay. If nothing's going to happen between the two of you, then...then I have nothing to worry about."

Zoey furrowed her eyebrows, bringing him out front and onto the front porch, where they could talk in private.

"You were worried about me cheating on you?" Zoey asked softly, but Max shook his head.

"No, Zoey, I wasn't. I uh...I was worried that..."

Zoey slipped a hand into Max's, squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"I was worried that he was going to use your vulnerability to get closer to you and take advantage of you, Zoey."

Zoey's eyes went wide, and she immediately shook her head.

"Okay, first of all, I don't care how vulnerable I am, I would never get myself into a situation like that. And if Simon ever even _tried_ to do anything with me, I'm his boss and could go right to HR and get him fired. I promise you, Max, nothing's going to happen between Simon and I."

Max smiled slightly before nodding, wrapping his arms around Zoey's torso.

"I meant what I said before, I really do love you. I just want what's best for you, and if you're hurting I want you to be okay, not to get hurt more, that's all."

"I love you too, and I want the same for you," Zoey whispered as Max pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

The two walked back inside, and Max's eyes immediately met Simon's. Simon gave a nervous smile and Max smiled softly back in return, giving him a quick nod.

"Hey, Max. Can we uh...talk?" Simon asked after approaching the two, and Max looked down to Zoey, who smiled softly.

"I'll see you in a few," she said, before Max was following Simon into the kitchen and Zoey took in a nervous breath.

Her eyes met Mo's and she nodded, making Mo smile softly. He grabbed the microphone and handed it to Zoey, who took it in shaky hands.

"You've got this, Zo," Mo said as he took in how the redhead looked like she was both about to jump out of her skin and throw up. "Take a few deep breaths and knock that future husband of yours away."

Zoey smiled softly, nodding her head.

"Thanks, Mo." 

Zoey adjusted her grip on the microphone, heading towards the front of the room. Simon and Max had walked back into the living room and Max's eyes met hers immediately, one eyebrow raising in confusion. Zoey smiled softly, turning on the microphone and tapping it twice to check that it was on.

"Um...hi everyone," Zoey started, an echo of replies being thrown back at her making a small smile form on her face. 

She looked around at everyone before setting her eyes back onto Max.

"Thank you all for coming tonight, I really appreciate it. Uh...I wanted to continue on with the initial surprise of the party by doing another surprise."

"Go Zoey!" David and Emily called at the same time, making her smile widely.

"Max, this one's for you," she said softly before Mo started playing the instrumental version of the song "A Moment Like This", a smile immediately forming on Max's face as he recognized the song. 

_What if I told you it was all meant to be?_

_Would you believe me? Would you agree?_

_It's almost that feeling that we've met before_

_So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy_

Zoey was about to sing the next line when Max's mouth opened and he began to sing, making her smile grow wider. 

_When I tell you love has come here and now_

_A moment like this_

Zoey sang the next line, a warmth rushing over her body. 

_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

Max walked closer to Zoey as she sang before leaning towards the microphone as he sang the next line, the two facing each other.

_Some people search forever for that one special kiss_

Zoey's eyes flickered down to Max's lips before quickly looking back up to meet his eyes before she sang again. 

_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

Max slipped his right hand into Zoey's left one as they sang the last line together.

_Some pеople wait a lifetime for a momеnt like this_

The entire room erupted into an applause, and Max laughed softly as he tucked a piece of hair behind Zoey's ear. 

"I love you," he whispered, and she smiled widely, laughing a little as well.

"I love you too, Max," Zoey said softly before leaning forward and capturing his lips with hers, the applause in the room only increasing in volume. 


End file.
